Thorn_bird, I can see that this was a difficult accident to deal with for both of us.
Is your assertion the pilot should have landed at YSRI?
No, it is not.
There is nothing in the ATSB report about organisational, operational and bullying issues with the operators chief pilot, reported to CASA but ignored.
Agreed.
I knew this young man very well, he was well trained…
I knew him too. It was a tragic loss, and yes, it is still raw.
You arm chair experts are quick with your condemnation…
The only person I was attempting to ‘condemn’ was Old Akro for stating that the ATC deliberately placed a stricken aircraft in further harm’s way for something as trivial as airspace layout or ‘traffic management expediency’. Attempting to lay blame after a tragedy is a natural response, but that was uncalled for and simply not true.
Suffice it to say, any SAFETY issues that may have been learnt went out the window to protect a vindictive incompetent regulator.
I learnt plenty from this one (and would gladly give it all back in a heartbeat), but I agree that other valuable lessons were lost in the haze. Safe flying.